Over the weekend we discovered the proposed nearby Five Guys restaurant opened its doors, finally giving me the chance to try one of these burgers I've heard so much raving about. The burger was certainly better than other fast food joints, and the fries were outstanding: This certainly makes up for the loss of the one nearby Fatburger, and is closer than that was to boot. They get high marks for using fresh ingredients, as well as for cooking everything, including the fries, to order, as there's no way to replicate that with heat lamps on pre-cooked food.

I say the internet is wrong and chemistry and practical experience shows the effect of salt. Salt causes Osmosis. In Fish it causes the blending of cells and in animal meats it causes water to transfer between the two.

Haha dude, how much salt do you think people are using? People are talking about grilling meat for 12 minutes here, I don't think the meat really loses anything in that small of a time period even if you used several tablespoons.

I'm pretty sure the five minutes of cooking during which salt is on food doesn't deplete it of moisture. Are you not aware curing meat takes weeks, not to mention a salt concentration that would leave any eater gagging were they to consume it straight away?

Blue, Just like to figure out things and not trying to be a pain, so don't reply to this is OK Love all you do for over 10 years!!!!!

I say the internet is wrong and chemistry and practical experience shows the effect of salt. Salt causes Osmosis. In Fish it causes the blending of cells and in animal meats it causes water to transfer between the two.

Salt cures meats: Beef Jerks, Hams, Prosciutto, Ham, Pepperoni, etc.

Heck before refrigeration Salt Cured fish and meats was the only way to save food for later. So MASSIVE coating of salt would cause the meat and fish to dry out and kill cells.

Salt is a GREAT tool for working with meats but I wouldn't put it in a burger before I cook it. Makes it hard though a little salt is not a big deal it will always have the same toughing effect on meats UNLESS it is water (wet) brine (Salt Water works miracles in breaking down the tissue of chicken and making it oh so tender).

I always in cooking and chemistry always do a A) and a B) so try preparing one with and without salt. If its just a pinch of salt it won't do anything, hence the belief of the "myth" but science and observation isn't on the side of Salt Doesn't Dry Out Foods or Draw Out Water.

MEAHT wrote on Aug 8, 2012, 14:44:Let's end this argument here. I think we are enamored with the image and sound of a fat beef burger sizzling on the grill, but the taste? Not so much.

Please, make no mistake, the best burgers come from a griddle, where the burger can do both things required for a great burger:A: Cooks in its own juices, on the grill all that liquid falls between grates.B: Gets a nice brown crispy thin crust (for flavor & texture) that helps keep the juices sealed with a nice sear that can only be achieved with a commercial style(gas) griddle.

And yes, would you kindly season your burger! Kick it up a notch? Add rub to season the burger with a bit of worcestershire.

atta boy. My fav at home burger is diced green olives, worcestershire, diced onions, pepper, and fresh garlic. mix all in a bowl with the meat and make patties. let sit to get room temp, then throw on the grill (sometimes in tinfoil with some taters and carrots) done done and done. so fuggin good.

nin wrote on Aug 8, 2012, 10:34:My father was a burger fiend, but he never did seasoning. Might have been why a home cooked burger doesn't really appeal to me, years later.

There's a myth that home cooks are stuck on that salting meat before cooking it draws moisture to the surface to be evaporated away. This leads to a lot of them cooking meat without seasoning it first, which is a crippling error right off the bat.

It's science: Salt does that to everything and it toughens meat. Just "season" it with everything BUT salt! Try it yourself and you will see that it is 100%. Best example: Bake a Peeled Potato One Salted and One Unsalted.

I won't come out and say you are just wrong about this. But you will be hard-pressed to find any trained chef who will agree with you.

Salt make's food taste better by sucking out the taste from within the food. Works great on clotting blood to but stings a bit to much for my taste.

This time I'll say you are just plain wrong. Salt brings out the flavors in foods, it doesn't just move them around, as you say. This is one of the most basic understandings in the culinary arts.

A cursory Googling of the topic will show this to pretty much be universally accepted.

nin wrote on Aug 8, 2012, 10:34:My father was a burger fiend, but he never did seasoning. Might have been why a home cooked burger doesn't really appeal to me, years later.

There's a myth that home cooks are stuck on that salting meat before cooking it draws moisture to the surface to be evaporated away. This leads to a lot of them cooking meat without seasoning it first, which is a crippling error right off the bat.

It's science: Salt does that to everything and it toughens meat. Just "season" it with everything BUT salt! Try it yourself and you will see that it is 100%. Best example: Bake a Peeled Potato One Salted and One Unsalted.

Salt make's food taste better by sucking out the taste from within the food. Works great on clotting blood to but stings a bit to much for my taste.

nin wrote on Aug 8, 2012, 10:34:My father was a burger fiend, but he never did seasoning. Might have been why a home cooked burger doesn't really appeal to me, years later.

There's a myth that home cooks are stuck on that salting meat before cooking it draws moisture to the surface to be evaporated away. This leads to a lot of them cooking meat without seasoning it first, which is a crippling error right off the bat.

It's science: Salt does that to everything and it toughens meat. Just "season" it with everything BUT salt! Try it yourself and you will see that it is 100%. Best example: Bake a Peeled Potato One Salted and One Unsalted.

Salt make's food taste better by sucking out the taste from within the food. Works great on clotting blood to but stings a bit to much for my taste.

MEAHT wrote on Aug 8, 2012, 14:44:Let's end this argument here. I think we are enamored with the image and sound of a fat beef burger sizzling on the grill, but the taste? Not so much.

Please, make no mistake, the best burgers come from a griddle, where the burger can do both things required for a great burger:A: Cooks in its own juices, on the grill all that liquid falls between grates.B: Gets a nice brown crispy thin crust (for flavor & texture) that helps keep the juices sealed with a nice sear that can only be achieved with a commercial style(gas) griddle.

And yes, would you kindly season your burger! Kick it up a notch? Add rub to season the burger with a bit of worcestershire.

With the right kind of meat you don't have to soak a burger in its own fat. You can still have leaner, healthier and tastier using grass fed beef, or hamburger from Waygu cattle.

Sepharo wrote on Aug 8, 2012, 14:47:

PHJF wrote on Aug 8, 2012, 14:02:Anyone old enough to have moved beyond ketchuping fries is supposed to be using MALT VINEGAR. Mustard on the burger, VINEGAR ON THE FRIES.

Finally someone who knows what they're talking about.

Mustard has always been my favourite condiment. Nothing I like better than a cold roast beef or ham sammy slathered in mustard. And yes, malt vinegar is indeed the way to go. I use vinegar for a lot of things and keep around a dozen different bottles of the stuff around. I even have a few books on the stuff.

Let's end this argument here. I think we are enamored with the image and sound of a fat beef burger sizzling on the grill, but the taste? Not so much.

Please, make no mistake, the best burgers come from a griddle, where the burger can do both things required for a great burger:A: Cooks in its own juices, on the grill all that liquid falls between grates.B: Gets a nice brown crispy thin crust (for flavor & texture) that helps keep the juices sealed with a nice sear that can only be achieved with a commercial style(gas) griddle.

And yes, would you kindly season your burger! Kick it up a notch? Add rub to season the burger with a bit of worcestershire.